


A Blooming Heart is Nothing but Pain

by HoloAnarchy



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Hanahaki Disease
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28663929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoloAnarchy/pseuds/HoloAnarchy
Summary: The magic of the valley is strange magic indeed. Spring brings flowers in many ways.
Relationships: Abigail & Sam & Sebastian (Stardew Valley), Abigail/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	1. Ch. 1 Sebastian

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a lil drunk and a bit disappointed to see so few hanahaki sdv fanfics. I'mma fix that

The first time he saw them together, Sebastian had thought nothing of it. The new farmer had come to the saloon on Friday. She and Abigail seemed to be hitting it off. It certainly wasn't enough to distract him from destroying Sam in their weekly game of pool. Anyway, Abigail was more social than he was and he figured it must be boring to watch him and Sam do the same thing every week while she sat one the couch.

So the farmer had unofficially joined their weekly ritual. It felt kind of nice to have someone new in the mix. He didn't know her very well and was uncertain if he wanted anything besides a shallow friendship with her, but it was nice to round out their Chronicles of Solaria party. 

It wasn't until he saw her and Abigail playing Journey of the Prairie King in the saloon that he thought he might be jealous. They were so close, and their hands kept touching. A tight feeling began to grow in his chest. Sam clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Farm girl is almost as good as Abigail is!" he laughed.

"Yeah...they're really going for it," Sebastian replied, not sure why he was suddenly having trouble breathing.

"They might actually beat it."

Not even a moment later, Abigail was squealing with glee. Her arms were up in victory, bouncing with excitement.

"We did it!!"

The farmer didn't even get to say a word before Abigail's lips were on hers. Sebastian watched her eyes go wide before closing and wrapping her arms around the purple haired girl and holding her close.

The feeling got tighter. He suddenly felt dizzy. 

"Sam, I need a cigarette…"

The blonde boy nodded. "I'll get everything set up."

Sebastian slipped out of the saloon, going around to the back. He started coughing, reaching for his lighter. There was a lump in his throat. He forced himself to cough harder, hoping to get it out. He thumped his chest with his fist when it wouldn't budge. It was started to get uncomfortable and more worrisome. This was far too large to be just phlegm. He forced it too hard, nearly doubling over as his coughing turned into retching, dark hair falling over his face.

Something wet splattered onto the cobblestones. He was loathe to touch it but he had to know what he had nearly choked on. It was slick with spit and he couldn't be sure with the low light but he thought it looked like blood. He examined what had made the lump. It had separated and fluttered back down almost as if the pieces were not covered in his blood and spit. 

Petals. Petals?

He put his lighter away. Sebastian suddenly didn't feel like having a cigarette. He left the petals on the cobblestones, hoping to forget. He strongly considered getting a few beers to help the process and to get the taste of iron and rose out of his mouth.


	2. Ch. 2: Farm Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a sunny day in the valley and the resident farmer has started coughing flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second person is hard

It was a sunny day when you walked up the mountain. Your first seasons in the valley were so wonderful that you couldn't help but look forward to the future! You were going to visit Robin and discuss the possibility of her building a coop for you but you decided to stop on the overpass and look outwards. The broken down bus marred an otherwise perfect landscape. You weren't sure why it couldn't be fixed by the town but the little creatures in the community center assured you that they could. Somehow. It would just be expensive. You decide to think about the community center later.

You realize that you actually haven't seen Sebastian in a while. Not since you and Abigail beat the arcade version of Prairie King together. Was he avoiding you? The thought caused a pang to rip through your chest. 

The pain jogged a memory from you.

"Sebastian really seems to want Abigail in the band for some reason."

Oh. Sweet, oblivious Sam. And oblivious you. The last thing you wanted was to make him jealous. But you were suddenly worried that you did. You didn't mean to hurt him…

There was a lump in your throat that you couldn't swallow. Your breathing got faster. You gripped the rail and tried to think of something else, anything else. You had to meet Abigail later and you had no intention of being late. 

You slammed your body onto the wooden railing, a sort of solo heimlich maneuver. It worked. You stared as petals flew out of your mouth and onto the asphalt below. 

That was more than a little concerning. Maybe the coop could wait. Now the plan was to check in with Sebastian then go straight to Harvey, the town doctor. Abigail may have to wait after all. You were already halfway to Sebastian's anyway.


	3. Chapter 3: How Can I Work Like This?

The door closed as the Farmer left his basement. Sebastian pushed back from his computer, resting his head on his desk, feeling pain blooming in his chest. It was true, he had been avoiding her. But work was a good excuse. He still intended to save up and leave the valley. Not that his plans would be complete. Abigail had started talking about staying. It hurt, but not as much as he thought it should.

His heart throbbed and he clutched his chest. Thinking of Abigail was tinged with a bittersweetness that he could hardly describe. He'd always had a crush on her but he didn't think she'd ever notice. Sebastian cursed himself for being so subtle. His mood soured as he thought about the farmer clearly not having that same problem. 

This jealousy was distracting. He couldn't work done if he kept focusing on his feelings.

He reached into his desk drawer and removed the false bottom. Having a carpenter for a mother was handy for learning a few tricks and hiding a stash of weed was one of them. 

He pushed his dark hair out of the way so he could focus on rolling a joint without spilling too much. He twisted and idly wondered if the farmer would grow if he asked her. Of course, he'd never take her for the type to do such a thing, but he'd been wrong before. 

He lit it and took a deep drag, trying to keep his coughing down, despite the petals coming up in the smoke.


	4. Ch. 4: Never Seen Anything Like It

"This is the strangest thing I have ever seen," Harvey mused while looking at your x-ray.

"What is it? Is it bad?" you asked, anxious and curious. 

Harvey sat on the wheeled stool across from you, showing you the clipboard. His look was one of confusion and concern.

"From what I can tell," he began slowly, as if searching for the right words to say, "you seem to have some sort of flowering branches growing in your chest…."

"What?!"

Your throat was suddenly tight, considering a thousand possibilities at once. Could it have been an effect from a Shadow Shaman? You stared at the chart, seeing a knot of plant matter with vines seeming to cling to your rib cage.

Harvey seemed tense as he spoke.

"I have no idea how this could have happened or what could have caused this. This is beyond anything I have studied for…."

You nodded, trying to take a deep breath before falling into a coughing fit, petals fluttering down onto the blue-white tiles, covered in droplets of your blood. The pain that was coming with them was getting worse already. Your thoughts immediately turned to the worst and you swore you could feel the branches dig deeper into your lungs.

"I'm afraid there is nothing I can do…."

Harvey's voice felt echoey and far away. You got up, wandering out of the clinic in a daze. Harvey could bill you later. Assuming you lived long enough to get a bill.


	5. Ch. 5: I Shouldn't Have Said That

Sebastian stood at the end of the dock in the rain. He sighed, looking out over the sea. Was there really anything outside the valley for him? He hoped so. He didn't really fit in with the rest of the town, not that Sam or Abigail really did either but they had roles they could fill. Sam had a local job at the Joja Mart and Abigail had her relationship to the farmer and would probably join the Adventurer's Guild once she no longer lived with Pierre and Caroline.

Not him. His work was remote. The farmer hadn't even known he existed until they met at the saloon. Nobody had mentioned him to her. The realization felt like a stab to his chest and he had to take a gasping breath. The mayor had tasked her with greeting everyone and he was the last one. It took five days. She met everyone else on day one. It certainly made him feel small and inconsequential. And a little angry.

"Hey, Sebastian."

Your gentle, familiar voice made him shiver. Without thinking, he snapped at you.

"The ocean is best enjoyed alone, don't you think?"

He regretted it immediately when he saw the hurt in your eyes but before he could apologize, you had left, gone to some other dock to watch the rain or fish or do whatever it was you did on the beach in the rain. 

The pain began to spread rapidly. He fell to his knees, clutching the dock post for support. It was like his entire chest was burning inside out and bleeding. He started coughing and prayed to whatever was listening for the pain to end.


	6. Ch. 6: Potions from Strange Men in the Woods

You wandered into the Cindersap Forest on a sunny day. After your chores on the farm were done, you decided to pay a visit to the Wizard. 

Nobody ever talked to or about him. Marnie only ever mentioned that she won't go near his tower, despite being one of his only neighbors in the forest proper. 

You studied the void essence you were bringing him as you walked. Rasmodius certainly wasn't what you could call a "people person," with his odd habits and abrupt manner. He seemed to warm up to you well enough, though. 

You knocked on his tower door before entering.

"Rasmodius! I have something for you!" you called, not really paying attention to where he was, lost in your thoughts.

"Hello, farmer."

He was tall and surprisingly broad, standing over his Cauldron of Many Uses. He didn't call it that. You did. But you weren't going to tell him that. He seemed to be staring into it as if it were a crystal ball.

"Brought you a new void essence," you said listlessly, still thinking of the results of your appointment.

Rasmodius looked up at this. He regarded you curiously, studying you or perhaps your aura to figure out what was wrong.

"Something has happened."

Not a question, just a statement of the obvious. You fight the urge to be sarcastic. It is only standing in the tower that you realize you maybe should have come here instead of the clinic.

"Yeah," you say hesitantly. "I, uh….I started coughing up flower petals…."

You watch his eyes light up in fascination and in horror. He knows something. Fantastic. You can chide yourself for forgetting that Pelican Town has an actual fucking wizard later.

Rasmodius summoned a book to his hand, flipping the pages as he carried it to the table.

"I never imagined I would encounter a case of this," he murmured, probably noy expecting you to hear or not caring if you did.

"What is it?"

He went back to the cauldron. Because of course he did. He waved his hands over whatever concoction he was brewing and summoned an image.

"In a land we believe is lost, far beyond the Goro Empire so far away from our beloved valley, there exists a myth," he began. Apparently it was storytime. "And in that myth, a young person found the loveliest flower in the known world and wished to bring it to their beloved in a wondrous bouquet. However, they found this flower whilst traveling and could not transport the delicate bloom to their homeland.

But the flower could see the love in their heart and spoke thus: 'Young one, take my seeds that you may cultivate my children for your darling.'

And the youth replied, 'But your seeds are so small, I might lose them in my belongings.'

'If you can speak not a word and eat not a thing, the seeds may be carried in your mouth.'

The youth was amenable to this and took seven seeds from the lovely flower. They spoke a word to no one and ate nothing, so great was their love and dedication. 

The day they returned home, the sight of their beloved caused them to shout their darling's name in happiness before they could remove the seeds. They removed six, and believed they had miscounted. 

They planted the seeds and began attempting to court their beloved. But their love was cold to them and did not reciprocate. Thus the youth took to pining and tending the flowers. 

As the youth pined, so too grew the lost flower, in their heart, feeding on their unrequited love. The youth took ill but hardly noticed the petals in their cough.

When at long last, the six children of the loveliest flower were ready to be plucked, the youth was at their sickest. They prepared the bouquet and went to confess their feelings in earnest. Still the object of their affection turned them down. And in heartbreak, the final flower burst through the youth's chest in dazzling glory, killing them instantly.

Nobody knows but it is believed that had their lover felt the same, the flower would have never bloomed and the youth would have lived a long, healthy life."

The images faded from the, er….soup, and left you horrorstruck. You didn't understand! You had a happy relationship with Abigail! Was there no hope for you?

"Perhaps that story was a bit much," Rasmodius mused. "The hanahaki legend is a bit...much…"

"A bit?!"

"Apologies. I thought perhaps if you knew what was happening, you could cure it."

"But how did this happen?!" you nearly shrieked. Harvey basically telling you that you were going to die and Rasmodius reassuring you that it would be gory and painful did nothing to help your stress levels. "I never swallowed a magical flower seed!"

Rasmodius stroked his purple beard in thought. You wanted to take his stupid cowboy hat and shove it down his throat the longer he was silent. Why did a Wizard wear a cowboy hat anyway?

"The potion I gave you to read the Junimo scrolls...the essence of this valley that imbued you, dear farmer, with the magic of the forest may be the cause of your suffering," he admitted.

You had nearly forgotten. That potion. It had made you feel sick when you drank it, but you simply chalked that up to its disgusting taste. You thought Rasmodius could learn a few tricks from Gus and hoped he would before he made you imbibe another potion.

"So what do I do? I'm already in love. And Abigail loves me back! Shouldn't this go away?" you asked.

He looked at you remorsefully. He had small tears in his eyes when he told you the one thing you didn't want to hear.

"I don't know."


End file.
